Recollecting The Steps
by Black21Jack
Summary: The day when Jace arrived at the New York Institutes until the night they encountered with Clary at the Pandemonium. Short moments between Jace and Alec. Hope you like it. :)


**A/N: Hello. Just another short (not quite) story from me. I'm trying very hard to resist writing a real long story with plots. :(**

**I guess I'll just have to wait. Fighting! Happy reading and please leave a review! :)**

On one fine day, it was cloudy with a little tint of sunlight illuminating the top of the Institute. It was a normal day for the residents of that ancient building to be awake and on their feet to live their life as shadowhunters. But on that particular day, a news had been heard that they were expecting someone. Sharp at noon, the bell rung notifying the Institute of the arrival of Jace Wayland. He was by the age of 10 and he had blonde hair and golden eyes. His look was mixed with sorrow of losing his father just recently and he was sent to the sacred ground of the Institute under the care of the Lightwoods.

He was greeted at the door by a woman with dark hair and blue eyes. "Come in." Said Maryse Lightwood to that boy. He entered with small steps and followed her inside. They were walking, Jace following closely behind when she asked, "Have you eaten?" He nodded as an answer. They turned a corner after the long corridor and stopped in front of a door. Jace could hear a sound from the inside. Maryse pushed open the door and walked in, beckoning Jace to follow. Jace stood by her side and saw an arrow flew and hit right at the center of the target. He looked for the shooter and he saw at the far end of the room stood a boy. He was older than Jace, he could tell. His features were the same as Maryse, dark hair and blue eyes. But his shades of blue was different.

The raven haired lowered his bow and looked towards the two figures standing at the door. He strode forward and stopped directly in front of who Jace believed was his mother. He sent a questioning look at her. "Alexander, this is Jace Wayland." The dark-haired turned his view towards the other boy. Jace could tell that the older boy was looking at him with a look that he could not interpret. After a while, he held out his hand. "It's just Alec." Jace returned Alec's handshake and somehow he felt a familiar aura emitting around him when Alec smiled. Both of them didn't realize what was waiting for them in the future. Alec was happy he had a friend but still he felt insecure with that feeling in his stomach. Jace was grateful he still had a place to go and a family who accepted him.

* * *

The training room was occupied by two young teenage boys, a 13-year-old blonde and a dark-haired who was older by two years. They were engulfed in their training that they didn't realize they were being watched by someone. Isabelle had entered 10 minutes ago and none of the boys seemed to notice her. She wasn't in her gear which indicated that she wasn't there for training. She had her eyes glued to them but her hands were busy flicking her long dark hair. After what seemed like hours but merely 30 minutes, both boys had ended their training. Once again, Jace had Alec pinned to the ground.

"It looks like nothing has changed for the past years, isn't it, Alec?" Jace and his sarcasms. He'd thought by now that the only person who wouldn't care about his words was Alec but it was natural for him to be sarcastic. Alec, somehow being crushed by Jace's weight, was still calm despite the obvious result of their training. "How many times must you humiliate our brother in front of me?" Came Isabelle's voice. Jace's head snapped up showing that he hadn't realized Isabelle's present. Alec took it as an opening and he somehow managed to turn their place so that now, Jace was being held on the ground. "Which one?" Jace replied with a smirk on his face. He didn't realize that his action had made butterflies in Alec's stomach. He quickly released his hands from Jace and got up.

"My, my Alec. Since when did you finally consented my strength that you resolved to cheating?" Jace was up on his feet and brushing the dust from his gear. "Unlike you dear brother, Alec was always alert to his surrounding. He'd noticed me entered the moment I did, but you with your obnoxious behavior could have gotten yourself attacked, do you know that?" Isabelle sounded frustrated but she had a smile on her face. "Even so Izzy, Alec had sworn to protect me and stay by my side. Don't you get what parabatai means?" "But it didn't include getting your brother killed because of your ignorance!" At this point, Isabelle sounded exasperated. Alec, who hadn't managed even a single word cut in, " Hey, hey. I think that was enough bickering for today. If any of you decides to drag this argument outside the training room, I will personally kill you before mother kills me. Is that understood?" Alec tried his best to sound like his father with a tone only the older one could deliver. But with the silence that came, it showed that both Jace and Isabelle couldn't say anything to that.

"Come, we should have our lunch by now." Alec beckoned for both of them to follow. Jace quickly got to Alec's side and slung his arm on Alec's shoulder. Isabelle was deep in thought before she said,"Guys." Both of her brothers turned and from that distance, she could see the runes near their neck that bound them to each other. It glimmered in the ray of lights. "What is it, Izzy?" Concerned was slowly carving Alec's face. She shook her head and rushed in between the boys, flinging her hands on both her brothers' shoulder. They were exiting the room together, each of them was in their own thoughts which was buried beneath their minds. They didn't know what was coming to them. To Jace, he was growing up well with his new family, he had siblings and a parabatai. To Alec, there was no denial in his sexuality now, it was hard for him at first and still but he knew there's nothing he could do. He was in love with Jace. To Isabelle, she was trying very hard not to tell anyone about Alec or his feelings because she feared of what may come. She just hoped that Jace won't hurt their beloved eldest.

* * *

"Jace!" Alec's shout was what that had warned Jace of a demon lurking behind him while he was busy attacking another demon with his seraph blade. Isabelle was at a corner, applying iratzes after she had sent three demons back to where they had come from. Jace, at that moment was trying to prolong his fight with the demon since it seemed to be the last one. He had failed to notice that he had been sneaked on by another demon from behind. Jace had finally struck the demon and killed it when he heard his parabatai. Turning around quickly, he saw the demon was already making its way towards him, its talon prepared to strike. Jace raised his seraph blade before he saw a black silhouette which he made out to be Alec was standing between him and the demon. Alec plunged his sword at the demon with a strong force. Unfortunately, he had hit the wrong part because the demon didn't vanished but it was furious.

"Alec, look out!" Jace managed to push Alec out of the way before the demon had a chance to do harm to the black-haired. As quickly as a shadowhunter could moved, Jace got up and without any second thoughts, he'd sent the demon back to its realm. After all the chaos had subsided from the night air, Jace looked at his parabatai with an accusing look." Why'd you do that, Alec?! You could have gotten both of us killed!" Alec was surprised but he knew it was his fault, partially. " I just wanted to protect you." Alec muttered softly but both his siblings could hear him. " Protect me?! You didn't even killed a demon when Izzy had already finished off three. On her own, Alec. You should worry about yourself." Jace was too angry he didn't realize what he'd just say.

Alec threw his head to the side, not trusting his eyes from spilling the forming tears. He won't cry in front of his parabatai and his sister. The words hurt, yes it did. But what hurt him most was it had come from Jace. He knew he won't be able to hold his tears so without saying anything, the raven haired turned and left the scene. Isabelle was even more furious towards Jace. "How could you say that to your own parabatai?! He had watched your back and you can't even utter a simple thanks but instead, you had to point out the fact, did you?!" After saying that, Isabelle followed her older brother and stormed off without looking back at Jace.

At the Institute, Alec had finished cleaning off the dirts and changing from his gear into his night wear when he heard a soft knock at the door. "Come in." He didn't think that of all people, it was Jace who had come to see him. The blonde hair was still in his gear and his hair looks like it was ruffled many times. "Alec?" Jace had a worried expression on his face which made Alec even more concerned. "What is it?" Alec was left speechless and rigid when Jace attacked him with a tight hug. " I'm really very sorry. I didn't mean it. I was...I don't know but when I saw you almost getting hit by the demon I was...I guess was scared. I don't want anything to happen to you. I'm sorry." Jace had his face buried in the crook of the older boy's shoulder.

It was quiet for a long time. None of them move. After a while, Alec raised his arms and returned his parabatai's hug. No words were needed to be exchanged between the two. They had known each other way better than they know themselves and anybody else. They stood there for sometimes. Jace had finally realized how important Alec was to him. He was grateful to have met his another half. Alec was deep into his emotions. He thought that finally he had some chance with Jace. He felt very happy and glad to hear what Jace had said. They didn't realized that there was a figure standing near the door frame watching them. Isabelle had always managed to sneak on anyone. She could see the look on Alec's face and she just wished that the right guy would come to Alec sooner. She doesn't want to see her brother shattered in his fragile dreams.

* * *

It was past eleven when they had gotten the message informing them of a demon. Jace was all worked up he'd managed to be ready in less than 5 minutes while Alec was long ready for it. They were waiting for Isabelle to make her appearance since she was the bait to lure the demon. "How come you're not excited, Alec? Come on. We rarely go for missions nowadays and you're almost eighteen. You should be enjoying this, you know." Jace was all riled up about going on a mission. Alec, on the other hand was trying not to strangle Jace for his lack of sense.

How can Alec be excited when all the time he had to watch his parabatai's back and not to mention stealing glances on his little sister to make sure she was okay while they were slaughtering demons? It's not an easy task for someone who was not yet eighteen. But that wasn't the reason why Alec was feeling a little out-of-place that night. He knew something was wrong. He could feel it the moment they left the Institute. Something that night was going to change them forever.

"Jace, can you please focus? Our sister is out there trying to seduce a demon. Do you know she's not supposed to be doing that at this age? She's just a little girl." Alec was looking around trying to spot Isabelle. The Pandemonium was packed, as usual. But tonight, a demon decided it was a great idea to go clubbing, Alec thought jokingly. " A little girl? Who, Izzy? Alec, seriously. She's no longer little. She had more dates than you and not to say -"Jace was cut off when Alec threw his hands at Jace. He pointed to a direction and Jace turned his gaze towards it.

They saw Isabelle with the demon in a form of a mundane entering a store-room. "It's time to kick a demon's butt." Jace moved first followed by Alec. They didn't know that a red-headed had been staring and following their lines of gaze. Isabelle had finally went through the NO ADMITTANCE door along with the blue-haired boy. When Jace and Alec got in front of the door, they took out their blades. "Ready, Jace?" Alec looked at his parabatai and noticed that he was smirking. "Always." They entered the room without realizing that a mundane girl with red hair was following them. That night, everything changed.

Maple


End file.
